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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. B. WINKELMANN & A. G. PERKINS. GARPENTERS OOMBINATION LEVEL.

No. 467,844. Patented Jan. 26, 1892.

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WITNESSES A TTOHNE Y8 (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

' H. R, WINKELMANN & A. G. PERKINS.

GARPENTERS COMBINATION LEVEL.

No. 467,844. Patented Jan. 26, 1892.

INVENTORS:

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A TTOHNE Y8 TNE mums FITEIIS 0a., PNDTO-LITNO., msnmm'un, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERMAN R. VINKELMANN, OF OAKLAND, FLORIDA, AND ADAM G. PERKINS, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

CARPENTERS COMBINATION-LEVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,844, dated January 26, 1892.

Application filed June 30, 1891- $erial No. 393.058. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HERMAN R. \VINKEL- MANN, of Oakland, in the county of Orange and State of Florida, and ADAM O. PERKINS, of Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Carpenters Combination Implement, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a carpenters plumb and level with an adj ustable inclinometer and novel brace-scale therefor which will indicate the degree of bevel to be given to the ends of diagonal braces in framed structures and the slope of cuts for the ends 01": rafters having different elevations from a horizontal plane, a further object being to provide a compass for the plumb and level which will facilitate the location of foundation-walls, side walls, the.

To these ends our invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimedl Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters and numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side view of the combination implement shown with the ends of the levelstock broken away at each end. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of parts shown in Fig. 1, taken on the center line in Fig. 4., viewed in the direction of the arrows 2. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the same line as is Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrows 3 in Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line at l in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 represents the implement and a diagram in connection with it illustrating the degree-indications of a brace-scale attachment prolonged to meet the equal graduations on the base and perpendicular of a square.

The level-stock is preferably made of hard wood two feet long,longitudinally divided into two pieces A A, of equal thicknessflletachably secured together by any proper means, havinga metal shoe Ct on each end to protect the same and assist in retaining the stocksections together.

At the longitudinal center of the composite stock A A a novel shaped integral level, plumb, and incliuometer spirit-tube is embedded in the stock-sections,which are equally excavated on their inner surface to receive the same. Said tube, which is a cylinder of glass, is bent at Z), then curved at C, and again bent at 0, (see Fig. 2,) thus producing a level tube B, a suitably-curved inclinometertube O, and a plumb spirit-tube D from one continuous piece, having the terminal ends (Z d projected toward each other and substantially at right angles, axially considered, the sides of the tube being disposed in parallel planes, as the base is equal in diameter throughout its extent.

At the radial center of the curved portion C of the spirit-tube, which portion is a true are of a circle, the center post 6 of a magnetic compass E is located, said compass being seated in a circular aperture formed as at g in Fig. 3.

Upon the upper edge of the stock AA the excavation formed for the level portion B of the spirit-tube is suitably shaped and cut through to allow a bubble a; in the spirit-tube to show when the stock is in a horizontal plane, as usual, there being a cap-plate h secured on the stock over the tube, having a longitudinal slot it formed on it above the tube to expose the bubble when the. implement is used as a level.

The tube portion D is located in the stockpiece A at right angles to the parallel edges of the stock, having a sleeve f placed upon it, which envelops said tube portion and has an aperture f cut in its side wall at a proper point to expose the bubble 'y when the implement is in service as a plumb-indicator, there being a transverse hole F out through the level-stock, so that the tube portion D may be inspected.

A preferred means for correcting any slight error in the adjustment of the spirit-tube is shown in Fig. 2, and consists of a socket-piece 1?, that envelops the level-tube B and has a prolongation or car i" at the end of said tube portion, which socket is aflixed by any proper means upon the tube and is also adapted to close it, the side wall of the tube having an oval orifice 7? formed on its upper side at a proper point to expose the bubble 0c, the ear '6' being vertically perforated and threaded to permit the insertion of the threaded body of an adjusting-screw i A regulating-arm G is provided for the other terminal end of the spirit-tube, which is surrounded by the sleevef, said arm being bent to form a right angle at and again at 70', thus affording a shorter arm G therefor, parallel to the upper arm G and separated a proper distance therefrom, both extending in the same direction, or toward the oval slot f of sleeve f.

The ends of the spirit-tube are sufficiently separated to allow the parts mentioned to be secured thereon, and the upper terminal of the plumb-tube portion D is hermetically sealed by any preferred means when the tube has been nearly filled with spirit-s, colored or clear, the small air-space left affording the air-bubble as. I

It may here be explained that it is feasible to use the bubble a; for the level, inclinometer, and plumb; but that preference is given to the employment of two bubbles and the division of the spirit-tube into two chambers by the insertion of a plug 1) where the tube is curved at b, a slight air-space 2 in the lower chamber providing an air-bubble for the inclinometer-tube O and plumb-tube D.

The arm G is extended intoa cavity formed in the upper portion of the stock'sections A A for the accommodation of it and the ear 1', which parts lie substantially in the same plane, the end portion ofthe arm being perforated and threaded to receive a set-screw m.

Upon the lower surface of the cap-plate h a yoke-piece n is seated, and secured by the insertion of a binding-screw at through it and into the cap-plate, the yoke having its end portions bent away and returned in a plane parallel to and sufficiently removed from the cap-plate to permit the collars t m on the screws 11 m to occupy the intervening spaces when inserted through the perforated ends of the yoke-piece into the threaded ends of the ear i and arm G, each screw having an integral head, which projects through an orifice in the cap-plate, made therefor, which perforations align with the perforations of the yokepiece, ear, and arm named, so as to permit the kerfed heads of the screws to be adjusted with a screw-driver to alter the relative position of the .end portions of the spirit-tube as may be necessary to secure a correct adjustment of the entire tube within the stockp'ieces A A.

In order to facilitate the adjustment of the spirit-tube as has been explained, there are slightly-elastic bands 0 placed around the tube and located, preferably, at the terminations of the arched tube portion 0, which bands form a slightly-yielding packing between the tube and-the rigid walls of the excavation in the stock-sections A A, which channel is cut larger than the tube, so that freedom for expansion and contractionotthe tube-body due to alterations in temperature is permitted and danger of breakage due to such a cause or to percussion is obviated.

On the exterior edge surface of the curved tube portion 0 a curved aperture of proper size and form is made for the embedment of the graduated arcs of a degree and brace scale plate I J in the stock-pieces AA, which graduated arcs are both preferably produced upon one piece of sheet metal having an integral lug 19 formed on the same, which lug is seated in a recess in the stock-pieces and has a sufficient movement allowed therein edgewise to afford means for connection in regard to the relative position of the plate, tube O, and opposite parallel edges of the level-stock, a concentric slot being formed in the ear, as at q in Fig. 2, for the introduction of abinding-screw q, that retains the plate wherever it is desired to hold it. 7

Upon the inner edge portion of the scale plate degree-gradnations from zero to ninety degrees, inclusive, are marked, which constitute the degree-scale I, and concentric with the degree-scale, nearer the lug 19, another se= ries of graduation-marks J are produced, which is termed a brace-scale from the fact that it is utilized to indicate the degree of slope or inclination to be given to the ends of diagonal braces, rafters for roofs, and other similar uses. The marks on the bracescale J are not evenly spaced apart, as the degrees of a circle, and are ascertained by means of a chart, (shown in Fig. 5,) which will be explained.

The level-stock is parallel on its edges and two feet long, as before mentioned, and in the view is represented by A. From the compass-center e a perpendicular is dropped to a point zero, which is the left-hand terminal of a baseline M, which is parallel with the edges of the level-stock and removed from the center one foot or half the length of said stock.-

From the right-hand terminal of the level stock A another perpendicular to the baseline M is drawn, as at Nin Fig. 5. The baseline M and perpendicular N are each laid 0E into twenty-four equal divisions, and radial lines (shown dotted) are drawn from the center 6 to each division-mark on the base-line and perpendicular, cutting through the arc of the brace-scale plate J.

The variation in degree of inclination from the zero point at the left of the base-line M to the vertex 24 of the right angle formed by the junction of the perpendicular N with the base-line causes the graduations to diminish in distance apart as the angle is approached, and as the angle is receded from on the perpendicular N the spaces between the scale-marks increase in width in the same ratio as that of the base-line graduations, so that the marks are more closely located near the center of the brace-scale J than toward its ends, as represented more clearly in Fig. 1.

It is apparent that any degree of diagonal inclination for braces, rafters, king-posts, and like frame-timbers may be quickly and accurately determined and laid off by the use of the combined degree and brace scales I J, conjunctively used with the novel form of inclinometcr spirit tube hereinbefore described. The scale-plate whcreon the degreescale I and brace-scale J are formed will, from its position in the level-stock, be displayed on each of its sides, which may be graduated alike, and thus permit these scales to be viewed from either side of the levelstock.

The compass E is frequently of service in conjunction with the other parts of the combined implement-as, for instance, to indicate the position of foundation-walls or building side walls which are to be placed to correspond with any particular point of the magnetic compass.

llavin g thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the stock, of the level, plumb, and inclinometer formed of a single tube having, a longitudinal section B, a vertical section D below one end of the section B, and the inelinoineter-seginent connecting the diverging ends of the sections B D, and adjusting devices connected with converging ends of the tube, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the stock, of the tube having the longitudinal level-section B, the vertical plumb-section below one end of the section B, the segment (1, connecting the diverging ends of the sections B D, arms projecting from the converging ends of sections B D, and parallel swiveled set-screws engaging said arms, substantially as set forth. v

3. The combination, with the stock, of the tube having level and plumb sections BD at right angles to each other and converging at one end, the segmental section 0, connecting the diverging ends of the sections 13 D, the flexible bands 0, surrounding the tube, the arms 1' G, projecting from the converging ends of the sections B D, and the parallel swiveled setscrews engaging the said arms, substantially as set forth.

4. In a combinedimplement for carpenters use, a level-stock longitudinally divided into two equal sections, which are excavated on adjacent sides for the embedrnent therein of an integral level, plumb, and inclinoineter spirit-tube, and a spirit-tube having a true are bent intermediately of its end portions, which are bent toward each other at the ends of the arc of the inclinometer-tube portion in the same plane therewith and at a right angle to each other, the end portions having projections that are secured thereon and are adapted to each to receive the threaded body of a setscrew, which screws are held rotatably in perforations of a cap plate of the level and kerfed to be rotated and effect the adjustment of the level, plumb, and inclinometertube when revolved, substantially as described.

HERMAN R. \VINKELMANN. ADAM C. PERKINS. \Vitnesses to Herman R. \Vinkelmann:

I. D. MARTIN, A. L. HUNT, Jr.

Vitnesses to Adam C. Perkins:

O. H. I'IOLLEY, EUGENE THOMPSON. 

